WATCH: Documentary about our new Chancellor, Lemn Sissay

19 Oct 2015

Another chance to hear Manchester poet’s plans to “inspire and be inspired”

Our new Chancellor, Manchester poet Lemn Sissay MBE features in a fascinating documentary in which he explains how he is looking forward to fulfilling his role, in which he will “inspire and be inspired”.

The Chancellor is the ceremonial head of the University and, as such, acts as a figurehead and an ambassador, working with the President and Vice-Chancellor and other senior officers to promote the University’s achievements, regionally, nationally and internationally.

In the documentary, Lemn tells a group of students: “This is an incredible place, it’s an opportunity for me to learn – through meeting you.”

He also plans to research Ethiopic texts at The John Rylands Library and event graphene, and from those opportunities create new poetry.

Lemn Sissay is an award-winning writer and broadcaster. He is associate artist at the Southbank Centre, patron of the Letterbox Club and the Reader Organisation, and ambassador for the Children’s Reading Fund. He is also a fellow of the Foundling Museum and was official poet of the London 2012 Olympics. His public-art Landmark Poems are installed throughout Manchester and London, with Gilt of Cain unveiled by Bishop Desmond Tutu.

He said: “I could not be in a more inspiring place on Earth than The University of Manchester. I want to embody the spirit of the University as its Chancellor I’m looking forward to meeting people from all parts of the world and trumpeting our ideals.”